Sn1p3r187
Carolinian Shaolin Monk
A very interesting perspective into an alternate 1962. In the time we've come closest to a nuclear war. My biggest question is- How did the U.S government survive?
Cuban Missile Crisis Alternate Scenario
- Thread starter Sn1p3r187
- Start date
A very interesting perspective into an alternate 1962. In the time we've come closest to a nuclear war. My biggest question is- How did the U.S government survive?
Atomic Postman
Vault Archives Overseer
It may be an unpopular opinion, but I think Kennedy is one of the greats when it comes to Presidents for this exact reason. His entire cabinet inside ex-comm was calling for blood. He had so many hawks scratching at him he might as well have been a falconer. A weaker willed President would have resulted in all out war. Whether that would have been nuclear devastation or a limited nuclear conflict followed by a conventional third world war, well, we can never know. I'd prefer not to think about it.
Sn1p3r187
Carolinian Shaolin Monk
It keeps me up at night wondering what would've happened. And if this could potentially happen in the future.
Slayerite
Hates (virtually) Everyone on the site.
What could've happened would be living in a real life Fallout. No questions asked.
Juza The Cloud
Nanto Goshasei
I wrote my thesis (assigned not chosen) on the Cuban Missile Crisis, as others had stated people were calling for action, behind the scenes though the real wheeling and dealing over the Jupiter missiles in Turkey is what bothered the Soviets, interestingly enough those missiles were set to be replaced anyways but with some face saving measures that allowed the Russian to disengage. Castro on the other hand was quite miffed at what he felt was Russian betrayal. To him of course the missiles were an Insurance policy of sort to prevent a second bay of pigs type of incident.
Last edited:
Throatpunch
Banned
I suspect for a different scenario Richard Nixon would have to be elected president.
Some people believe, this is what killed Kennedy in the end. Who knows? But most americans don't believe in Oswald and the lone-gun-man theory.
welsh
Junkmaster
Well, I think Kennedy took the more wise position, in part because he was accountable. If he had launched invasion or bombed Cuba, it would have been on him, regardless of what his advisors had said. So accountability and responsibility, of if you will, prudence proves the important virtue.
I've thought Robert McNamara might have been the real hero of the Missile Crisis, simply for saying that, in reality, the missiles in Cuba would make no strategic difference.
From an Atlantic Article- http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/01/the-real-cuban-missile-crisis/309190/
"A missile is a missile,” Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara asserted. “It makes no great difference whether you are killed by a missile from the Soviet Union or Cuba.” On that first day of the ExComm meetings, Bundy asked directly, “What is the strategic impact on the position of the United States of MRBMs in Cuba? How gravely does this change the strategic balance?” McNamara answered, “Not at all”—a verdict that Bundy then said he fully supported. The following day, Special Counsel Theodore Sorensen summarized the views of the ExComm in a memorandum to Kennedy. “It is generally agreed,” he noted, “that these missiles, even when fully operational, do not significantly alter the balance of power—i.e., they do not significantly increase the potential megatonnage capable of being unleashed on American soil, even after a surprise American nuclear strike.”
So the missile crisis wasn't really a strategic challenge but a a political one. What is disturbing is how close we came to war on at least two accounts. Dropping depth charges on a soviet sub that was armed with nuclear torpedos https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/oct/27/vasili-arkhipov-stopped-nuclear-war or that the missile site was protected by a brigade of troops armed with tactical nuclear weapons- this could have easily gone off the rails.
Then again, we came pretty close in 1973 too- http://www.history.com/this-day-in-...s-united-states-and-ussr-to-brink-of-conflict
I've thought Robert McNamara might have been the real hero of the Missile Crisis, simply for saying that, in reality, the missiles in Cuba would make no strategic difference.
From an Atlantic Article- http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/01/the-real-cuban-missile-crisis/309190/
"A missile is a missile,” Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara asserted. “It makes no great difference whether you are killed by a missile from the Soviet Union or Cuba.” On that first day of the ExComm meetings, Bundy asked directly, “What is the strategic impact on the position of the United States of MRBMs in Cuba? How gravely does this change the strategic balance?” McNamara answered, “Not at all”—a verdict that Bundy then said he fully supported. The following day, Special Counsel Theodore Sorensen summarized the views of the ExComm in a memorandum to Kennedy. “It is generally agreed,” he noted, “that these missiles, even when fully operational, do not significantly alter the balance of power—i.e., they do not significantly increase the potential megatonnage capable of being unleashed on American soil, even after a surprise American nuclear strike.”
So the missile crisis wasn't really a strategic challenge but a a political one. What is disturbing is how close we came to war on at least two accounts. Dropping depth charges on a soviet sub that was armed with nuclear torpedos https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/oct/27/vasili-arkhipov-stopped-nuclear-war or that the missile site was protected by a brigade of troops armed with tactical nuclear weapons- this could have easily gone off the rails.
Then again, we came pretty close in 1973 too- http://www.history.com/this-day-in-...s-united-states-and-ussr-to-brink-of-conflict
It sometimes makes me wonder if there are parallel universe and in one of them Kennedy either botched it or he never got elected and another president in his place failed to make the US and USSR pull back from the bring of a third world war.
I wonder what that world be like right now.
You should really watch Fog of War, a documentary about Robert Mc Namara where he speaks I think for 2 hours about his life, his decisions and his thoughts about all of what he did. It's really great and gives you a very unique perspective, particularly as he also admits mistakes. I don't think I have to tell anyone how to get his hands on it. But if you can, and you are interested in the cold war, you definetly should watch it.
welsh
Junkmaster
Crni- you are right. I often show The Fog of War to my students, and sometimes the Rumsfeld flick by the same filmmaker. McNamara makes some great points about strategy. https://freedocumentaries.org/documentary/the-fog-of-war
Image Donald J Trump in the same position?
Image Donald J Trump in the same position?
He would simply make the Soviets pay for it.
Dr Fallout
Centurion
Wrong, he'd listen to his cabinet and then make the Soviets pay for it. For all his bluster, Trump ain't actually skilled in policies. He probably relies on the back behind the scene guys... like all presidents.